OutdoorNebraska

28 | Fishing Info: 402-471-0641 CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY Zebra and quagga mussels can survive out of water for up to two weeks. AIS, such as zebra mussels, are invisible to the naked eye during the larval stage and can be spread through single drops of water, surviving for up to 27 days in cooler temperatures. Aquatic plants can be spread by tiny fragments as well. After boating and before launching your boat in a different water body: • Dry boat and all equipment for at least five days. Use a towel to dry initially. • Pull plugs from bilge, live wells and engine to drain upon leaving water body. • Rinse boat and all equipment with hot tap water, ideally more than 140 degrees F, to kill any attached AIS. • If washing the boat away from the water body you are leaving, do not allow runoff to enter a drainage. Control your runoff. • Visit stopaquatichitchhikers.org for more information on procedures and AIS on watercraft. AIS watercraft inspectors are present at several Nebraska water bodies from May through October to ensure compliance with Game and Parks regulations. When an inspector is present, it is mandatory to stop and comply with an AIS inspection. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING ... REPORT THESE OFFENDERS! EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL Eurasian watermilfoil is an invasive aquatic plant that reproduces primarily through fragmentation, meaning only a tiny piece of the plant is needed to grow an entirely new plant. It is spread through boaters not following Clean, Drain, and Dry procedures between water bodies. This plant out competes other plants, resulting in near total lake coverage. Eurasian watermilfoil looks like our native species, with four leaves around a single stem, but contains 12-plus leaflets per side on each leaf. It is unlawful to transport aquatic vegetation between water bodies. If you encounter Eurasian watermilfoil at any location not listed below, contact the Game and Parks Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager immediately. List of Water Bodies That Contain Eurasian Watermilfoil – Populations of Eurasian watermilfoil are present in these Nebraska waters: Louisville No. 2, Louisville No. 2A, Louisville No. 3, Prairie Queen, Wagon Train, Flanagan, Walnut Creek, Two Rivers No. 5, Smith Lake WMA, Walgren Lake, Carter Lake, Cottonwood, Swanson Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, Box Butte, Bassway Strip, Birdwood, Crystal (Lincoln County), Hershey WMA, North Platte I-80, East Hershey, Lewis and Clark, Lake Yankton, Cottonmill, Bufflehead, Goose, Chapell, and Mormon Island Lakes 1 and 2. WHITE PERCH White perch are native to the East Coast and look very similar to white bass. Once established, this species has the ability to overwhelm an entire fishery, often resulting in the need to eliminate the entire fish population in an infested lake. White perch also

• Cover